What’s going on with butter (buttery spread)?

[ViaRia01]

I recall something recently to do with Arla but I’m not sure what all that was about or whether it’s relevant to this:

Ive bought lurpack for several years. Happy with it. Taste, readability, butter-like. A short while ago M&S didn’t have lurpack so I bought their own brand spread that looked a bit lurpacky on the packaging. It was… weird. Opaque. It looked and felt like spreadable plastic. I finished the tub and vowed to stick to lurpack. Anyway, now, a few months later, my new lurpack tub is really similar (although not as bad) as the M&S one. It doesn’t spread and it just sort of feels plasticky.

Has anyone else experienced this? Or can you explain what’s going on…?

Ideally I’d switch to real butter. I might do. It just doesn’t keep very well or keep at a good consistency if it’s too hot or cold!

I use President Spreadable because it is made spreadable with cream, not veg oil.

It isn’t as spreadable as Lurpak in a tub, but much nicer, IMO.

I guess it is the % of veg oil used to in the spreadable versions.

(The Arla boycott is ridiculous IMO )

I’m really enjoying the ‘plant based’ Lurpak.

I’ve been going mental with it. My bagels this morning were more Lurpak than bagel.

Thanks both, for your replies. And for not pulling me up on those ridiculous typos/ auto corrections!! Why do you not see these things until you revisit the page!!?

Also I should add, when I say lurpack, I mean the spreadable stuff in the tub. I forgot they do proper butter too!

Give Real butter a go, buy a butter dish and keep it on the worktop. Real butter is usually cheaper and isn't mixed with 'stuff' and doesn't taste plasticky!

Honestly, switch to butter. It's just cream and salt and you don't have to worry. OK, it's only actually spreadable for about six weeks of the year, but that's what microwaves are for, right?

Real butter. Apart from I. The summer I leave it in a butter dish and it keeps well, unsalted might have a shorter shelf life. It's so cold in our kitchen that it's very hard, so I cut a slab, wrap it in foil and put it in my pocket to soften until it's spreadable

I use both, real butter for cooking and when I fancy it, Yeo valley organic spreadable for the rest of the time.
I went organic with all dairy products years ago due to concerns about hormone use in dairy farms.
The Arla thing doesn't affect their organic products.
Edited to correct typos

If you’re using Lurpak spreadable, try Aldi’s version Nordpack - it tastes just as good but is much cheaper - it’s under half the price. I really cannot tell the difference.

This really made me smile, what a problem solving queen 😍

Both Aldi & Lidls knock off versions are nice, I buy those, cost significantly less as well for 500g

It is spreadable plastic. We use actual butter, microwave if needed

Lurpak is butter mixed with rapeseed oil. It isn't margarine.

But still not as nice as 100% butter.

Whatever is going on with it will be for profit, not for the customers benefit so I would guess that cheaper ingredients are being used.
I’m of the opinion that natural is best and we only have butter, softened in the microwave if needed.

Tried Nordpack, it was horrid

Dh Iikes the Aldi knock off, but I buy proper butter for me and for cooking, keep it in a glass storage with a snap on lid in the cupboard and warm it for less than 10 seconds in the microwave as needed. In summer I only put a half block in the glass box at a time, no warming needed.

That’s a pity - their ingredients are exactly the same.

Spreadable is nasty. I only buy real butter.

https://alfille.co.uk/product-category/butter-dishes/

Just posted this on the butterdish thread!
It's a plug in dish that you set to your preferred consistency.
It's amazing
And real butter is infinitely nicer than spreadable stuff

I like anchor spreadable.

@DeepFatFried i didn’t say it was margerine, just that the consistseems to have changed. The M&S one was especially strange…

@Mightymoog what will they think of next!?

I quite like the idea but to be honest I’m always trying to declutter the worktops so this is just another thing out the whole time! Might still try it though, at some point: thanks for the tip

I do have a butter dish (Lakeland thermally insulated one supposedly designed to keep it the right consistency). It’s not quite as effective as I’d hope.

No microwave at home unfortunately

Those butter dishes are an intriguing idea, but nearly 50 quid for a butter dish?

I like President spreadable, but in the colder weather I have to take it out of the fridge way ahead of using it for it to be truly spreadable.

Until a few months ago I used Aldi spreadable, which did develop a plastic taste if it was stored in the freezer.. Then I switched to M&S Softer Butter which is supposed to be spreadable and has no added oil. The last lot I bought was £5 for 500g. So I am now going to go back to ordinary butter and soften it in the microwave when needed. I like the sound of the Lidle butter with salt crystals.

Agree 100%

Only about £20 more than a standard decent dish and worth every penny ( i don't work for them, honest!)

Now, if you want a really expensive butter dish....

www.artedona.com/en/Table-Accessories/Further-table-accessories/Christofle-Malmaison-rectangular-butter-dish.html?cur=2&country=GB&mtm_campaign=google%20%7C%20uk%20%7c%20shopping%20%7c%20marke%20%7c%20christofle&mtm_source=google&mtm_medium=shopping%20ads&mtm_kwd=%20()&mtm_group=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAlPu9BhAjEiwA5NDSA-jS7qu3g-RtIGCKdMGKKlLKZ8f52-4y6OjyYcLxu6Jzrax4lal6-RoC1ywQAvD_BwE